The University of Wisconsin softball team begins its last Big Ten homestand of the season today when Michigan State comes to town for the first of a two-game series. The Badgers and Spartans will play tonight at 6 p.m. at Goodman Diamond before playing game two of the series tomorrow at noon.

Wisconsin (13-17, 3-5 Big Ten) enters today’s contest loose and full of confidence following their 9-0 shellacking of Valparaiso Wednesday afternoon. Wisconsin had dropped their previous six games, five by a single run, and needed the win to relieve the stress that had built up from all the tight losses.

“That was a really rough week last week, I mean they were all really close games,” senior catcher Boo Gillette said. “We were pressing because we were on a losing streak. It’s emotionally draining when you are ahead, then you are behind, then you’re ahead again, and you end up losing. I think just knowing that we can win again and not pressing so much is going to help us.”

Michigan State, with an overall record of 14-22-1 and a record of 4-4 in conference play, sits in seventh place in the conference, directly above the Badgers, who after proving to themselves they can play with the top teams in the country last weekend, look to prove it on the scoreboard by accumulating some victories.

“We played the two best teams in the conference (Michigan and Northwestern), and we played them well,” head coach Karen Gallagher said. “I think there’s a great anticipation for our team, and I think the players know that there are four weeks left in the Big Ten schedule, so lets put it all out on the line and play the way we can.”

The Badgers will definitely have their work cut out for them against a scrappy Michigan State team. The Spartans have been by far the weakest offensive team in the Big Ten so far, but have managed to play .500 ball despite their offensive limitations, thanks to strong pitching and timely hitting.

Michigan State is far and away the youngest and most inexperienced team in the Big Ten, carrying only five upperclassmen on their 19-player roster. The lack of experience has hurt the Spartans offensively as they are in the conference cellar in most offensive categories, including batting average (.214), runs (79), RBI (66) and home runs (6). Freshman catcher Caitlin Mahoney is the lone Spartan hitting over .300, with a .312 average. Mahoney is second on the team in RBI with 11, trailing freshman shortstop Traci Nicosia.

Michigan State has made up for their lack of offense in the pitching circle however, relying heavily on the right arm of sophomore Rachel Turney, who has thrown over the course of 132 innings this year, the fourth-highest in the Big Ten. Turney has compiled an 8-11 record with an impressive 1.72 ERA. She has shown herself to be a power pitcher in her second season, striking out 115 batters, almost as many as the Badgers have as a team (127).

The Badgers match up well against Michigan State and will likely receive an extra emotional boost this weekend as it will be the final Big Ten home series for the group of seniors that lead the team. Catcher Boo Gillette, shortstop Kris Zacher, outfielder Anastasia Miller, outfielder Natalie Phillips, pitcher Katie Layne and first baseman Meghan Reiss will all play their last conference home game this weekend, which also happens to be Parent’s Weekend.

“We have a real core senior group that will be playing their last Big Ten game here, and I think they want to go out well for them and their parents,” Gallagher said.

The Badgers have shown fantastic potential in the past few weekends and are looking at now as the time to fulfill that potential by winning Big Ten games and preparing for a late-season run toward the Big Ten Championship.

“This is a special weekend for everybody and might just be the weekend that sets the tone for the rest of the season,” Gallagher said.